Jermyn hosts season of Gay Pride musical cabaret

THREE shows, described as a Gay Pride Season of Musical Cabaret,
will be running in repertory for four weeks at the Jermyn Street
Theatre, starting July 8.

Blowing Whistles, by Matthew Todd opens the season. It
is a searing topical drama about love, sex and gay pride.

Nigel loved his hedonistic lifestyle - he has a boyfriend, but
it is an open relationship and he goes clubbing and has lots of
sex. Jamie, his partner of ten years isn't so sure things are
all that great.

The night before Pride in the Park, the couple discover Cumboy
19 through Gaydar on the Internet. They plan for a night of casual
sex but their young guest has a different agenda.

Matthew Todd has written a blistering account of a modern gay
lifestyle. It is a dark comedy about relationships and gay men
set in this year's Gay Pride.

Blowing Whistles is directed by Stephen Henry who recently
directed Another Country and the controversial Corpus
Christi. See schedule for performance times.

Love, Sex and Retro-Femininity has cabaret star, Holly
Penfield, who is our outrageous guide for a whirlwind tour about
being a woman, and much more.

Holly's musical adventure takes us from the frilly pinnies of
the 1950s to 2003 and what a girl might do with 12 vibrators -
use them as musical instruments of course!

Holly Penfield (pictured above), a native of San Francisco,
was trained by the legendary vocal coach Judy Davis, who also
coached Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jnr and Frank Sinatra. Holly
has worked solidly on the London cabaret scene for six years.

In addition to appearances at Pizza on the Park, she appears
regularly at the ultra hip Shadow Lounge in Soho, Sanctuary and
Scott's of Mayfair.

Last year, she appeared as Betty Blue in the sell-out production
of When Harry Met Barry, Upstairs at the Gatehouse.

Earl Grey is a highly talented impersonator and actor, whose
rare talent to recreate female stars past and present was acclaimed
in Frankly Scarlett at the King's Head.

He has appeared in the West End in Moby Dick, and The
Boys in the Band, and in A Patriot For Me at the RSC.

He stars in Silver Heaven at Jermyn Street, a surreal
and enchanting journey set in an age of celebrity obsession.

Jeffrey has always heard the voices, the stars of yesterday
who live on in his head and intrude when he least expects it.

Be prepared to be transported back to the golden age of Hollywood
as Jeffrey conjures up the likes of Judy Garland and Vivien Leigh,
who take turns to cajole, argue and encourage him as he strives
to find his way 'home'.

Silver Heaven and Love, Sex and Femininity are
directed by Tim McArthur. Nick Williamson is the musical director.

To accompany the season there will be a late night cabaret starting
on Friday, July 11 with Chris Hamilton. A new talent to the cabaret
scene, Chris has appeared in places as diverse as Don't Tell Mama,
New York, The Babylon Sauna in Bangkok and London's Edge.

His theatre credits include The Yeomen of the Guard (Royal
Opera House), Ten Cents a Dance (Watermill) and recently
as Noel Coward in Laughing When I Choose.

Tim McArthur's alter ego, Sister Mary McArthur, spends
her day baking flans for the convent coffee shop and listening
to 'The Best of Julie Andrews'.

Recently she has made guest appearances at the Purcell Room,
Pizza on the Park, Riverhouse Barn and Mardi Gras 2002.

The Jermyn Street Theatre on Friday and Saturday, July 18 and
19, marks her first solo show where you can find out what life's
really like for the nun who 'just wants to be a star'.

Nathan Martin is a singer pianist who has just released
his debut album, Anywhere With You, following his debut
at Pizza on the Park and a second season at Don't Tell Mama in
New York.

A cabaret regular at Jermyn Street Theatre, Lauderdale House
and the Dulwich Picture Gallery, Ian Mowat has theatre
credits ranging from March of the Falsettos to The Wizard
of Oz.

London shows have included Lost Musicals (Barbican), South
Pacific (Prince of Wales) and Sweeney Todd and Killing
Rasputin (both at the Bridewell).